Marriage can be difficult given the everyday demands of two busy people (i.e. work, children, business maintenance, elder care), but when drug or alcohol addiction complicates the relationship, it is incredibly difficult to keep a marriage together.
Indeed, some make it through the gauntlet of addiction together. But for those who decide that life may be better apart from an addicted spouse, the process of divorce may be more difficult than initially believed.
Because of this, it is important to highlight the potential issues that may arise during such a divorce.
Be ready for empty pleas – When threatened with divorce, it is common for an addicted spouse to ask for forgiveness and promise that he or she will do everything to combat the disease, only to fall short and regress. This may occur not because the person truly doesn’t care about the marriage, it is a symptom of the disease.
Be prepared for the unexpected – By the same token, a spouse threatened with divorce may become unpredictable; essentially being mild mannered and respectful one day, and then being aggressive and resentful the next. Because of this, great care must be taken to ensure children are shielded from emotional and physical outbursts.
If you have additional questions about divorce, an experienced family law attorney can advise you.
The preceding is not legal advice.
